Conventional techniques for manufacturing large-scale assemblies, such as aircraft fuselages, wings, etc., generally require interconnection of various parts to form the final structure. To accommodate such interconnection, multiple post-processing operations and large numbers of fasteners and associated hardware (e.g., seal caps, shims, fillers, etc.) are utilized. For example, multiplicities of holes are drilled to accommodate the installation of the fasteners. Moreover, various features often have to be post-formed in the component parts and/or in the final structure. Accordingly, existing manufacturing techniques for large-scale structures are labor intensive and increase manufacturing cycle time and cost. In addition, design freedom is often limited by the requirements imposed by conventional manufacturing methodologies.